


Tactical Advantage

by Dragestil



Series: Old Dog, New Tricks [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Banter, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 08:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13096056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragestil/pseuds/Dragestil
Summary: Jack and Genji enjoy their morning runs almost as much as they enjoy teasing each other.





	Tactical Advantage

**Author's Note:**

> By request, a Genji76 fic for an anonymous user on Tumblr. If you would like to see more of my work or request a fic, please visit my [Tumblr](http://dragestil.tumblr.com)

“Are you already tired, commander?” Genji asked, turning to jog backward along the track as he looked at his workout partner.

“Hardly,” Jack replied, though he didn’t pick up his pace. “Have you ever heard of pacing yourself?”

Genji laughed as he stopped jogging for a moment and then sprinted full speed toward Jack. He did a lap around him before returning to his backward jogging just in front of Jack. He smiled even as Jack shook his head.

“Kids these days…”

“I’m not a child!”

“You’re younger than me.”

“I think the dirt may be younger than you.”

Jack sighed but smiled. Only Genji could get away with such open teasing. Everyone else knew better than to come at Jack to his face. But Genji never cared. And with his winsome grins and infectious laughter, he could loosen even Jack’s tense shoulders and smooth his furrowed brows. It was a talent, or a gift, or magic. Jack shook his head once again and pointed forward down the track.

“Less joking, more running,” he said. “We’re only halfway done.”

Genji for a moment acted like he would not change course, but then spun on his heel and set back into his earlier pace. One of the benefits of his ‘enhancement’ at the hands of Overwatch was his increased stamina and speed. His lower body had needed the most work, so his legs were entirely synthetic. Gone were the days of worrying about muscle cramps or sore knees. Now he could run for ages without even breaking a sweat. The only downside was the considerable amounts of visible scarring that covered what was left of his human body. He was self-conscious in particular about his face, but at Overwatch no one seemed to even notice it anymore. 

“Genji,” Jack called, and Genji realised that the commander had caught up to him and was keeping pace at his side. “Something on your mind? You don’t usually slow down for me.”

Genji cursed himself for getting distracted for the millionth time with thoughts about his transformation. He tried to not think about it. He  _ said _ he was over it, moved on, thoroughly entrenched in his new life working with Overwatch. But it always seemed to creep back up on him when he was least expecting it. He shook it out of his head and focused on the moment, on Jack’s voice and the morning sun shining down on them. He breathed in deep, and exhaled his heavy thoughts.

“Just thought you’d want to feel what it’s like to be in front,” Genji answered as he slowed down just a bit, allowing Jack to overtake him.

“Is that so?” Jack said. “Let’s see if you can keep up, then.”

Jack took off, focusing on maintaining a steady breathing pattern while pushing his body toward its limits. He knew he wouldn’t be able to maintain this speed for as long as Genji could, but he was hoping at least to have caught Genji off guard. He pumped his arms in time with his strides and blocked out any protests from his muscles. They needed the exercise anyway, he argued, and it would all be worth it to beat Genji at his own game, even if only for a few moments.

Behind him, he could hear Genji’s swift approach, heralded by his laughter. Jack knew no one else who could be in a full out sprint and still be laughing. But Jack knew no one else quite like Genji in many regards - and not only because of Genji’s unique circumstances. It was inspiring - though he’d never say it aloud - to see someone still smiling after everything Genji had been through. Jack himself wasn’t certain he would have been able to maintain a similar outlook had he been handed Genji’s fate. 

“You really think you can beat me, Jack?” Genji said, now right on Jack’s heels.

“What happened to respecting your elders?”

“I thought you weren’t old!”

“Respecting your commanding officers then!”

“Who else will keep you on your toes?” Genji asked, catching up to Jack and falling into step with him.

“Who will keep you on  _ your _ toes, Genji?” Jack replied easily, reaching over to casually smack Genji’s ass.

“In public?!” Genji said, feigning shock though he couldn’t entirely scrub the grin from his lips.

“No one else is around. And since when have you cared about what other people think?”

“Fine! But you’ll have to catch me first before you get me again!”

Genji took off with a burst of laughter. He held nothing back, and was quickly well beyond reach. Jack exhaled deeply as he considered his options. There was no way to catch up to Genji if he followed him around the track, but he just might be able to cut him off if he ran across the grassy area in the middle. He glanced ahead to where Genji was still pushing himself to his limits. Jack decided to take the shot, heading off the track at a diagonal to intercept it at the end of the next curve. He focused on running and not the rush of blood pounding behind his ears.

“Cheater!” Genji said as he collided into Jack and sent them both careening into the grass. “That doesn’t count!”

Jack laughed as he pulled Genji into his arms and reached down to smack his ass again.

“I caught you, didn’t I?”

“By cheating!”

“I was just giving myself a tactical advantage,” Jack replied casually.

Genji let out a huff, but cuddled into Jack’s embrace anyway. A stolen victory or not, he wasn’t about to actually protest some quality time with Jack. It seemed they had less and less of it recently. Things at Overwatch had been so busy, and what free time they did have was often spent trying to catch up on sleep or mundane but necessary tasks like cleaning or cooking or getting groceries.

After a moment, they let go of each other and laid on their backs, side by side, staring up at the cloud-dappled sky. Genji slid his hand over until his fingers laced with Jack’s. He took a slow breath and held it in his lungs until they began to ache. Then he exhaled heavily and shut his eyes, turning his face toward Jack, but not looking at him.

“Do you think they would give us a day off if we asked?”

“Hm?”

“A day off. Maybe a couple. We haven’t watched any movies in ages,” Genji said quietly. “It would be nice to rest.”

Jack frowned as he thought. He supposed it  _ had _ been some time since they had last had a chance to relax, but that was business as usual for him. It was hard to remember that Genji wasn’t used to living a soldier’s life. Jack squeezed Genji’s hand and nodded his head, perhaps more for his own reassurance than for Genji’s.

“We’ll take the weekend off.”

“The whole weekend?”

“I have a decade of vacation time I haven’t touched. Overwatch will be fine without us for a few days.”

“Really?” Genji pressed, unable to keep the excitement from rising into his voice as he opened his eyes to meet Jack’s gaze.

“Yes, really. We’ll have some time just the two of us. No missions, no training, just us.”

“ _ Just _ us? Can you handle me all by yourself for that long?”

“You’ll be the one begging for relief when we’re through,” Jack said with a knowing smirk.

“Shit,” Genji exhaled as he flushed. “You’re still a cheat.”

“It’s the tactical advantage, Genji. Tactical advantage.”


End file.
